Plate chute for embossing machines



NOV. 9, 1954 p, SEWARD 2,693,870

PLATE CHUTE FOR EMBOSSING MACHINES Filed NOV. 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG I INVENTOR. PERCY R. SEWARD BY m,- 19,144.

ATTORNEY 1954 P. R. SEWARD PLATE CHUTE FOR EMBOSSING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 3 Filed Nov. 24, 1950 62 INVENTOR. PERCY R.'SEWARD ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1954 Filed NOV. 24, 1950 FIG 5 P. R. SEWARD I PLATE CHUTE FOR EMBOSSING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 9a 98 INVENTOR.

4% 94 96 PERCY R. SEWARD BY l6 2| 95 ATTORNEY United States Patent "PLATE LCHUTE FOR EMBOSSING MACHINES Percy R. Seward, ll'linneapo'lis, Minn.;""lercy 2R; Seward, Jr., administrator-of said Tercy R. Seward, deceased, assignor 1o Addressograph'Multigraph Corporation,

Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application :November'll', "1950,. Serial No. 197,351

3 Claims. (Cl.'.1 93-4 3') My present invention relates to embossing machines and, moreparticularly, to an "improvement or refinement of my automatic plate 'inserter and-ejector forembossing machines hereinafter identified.

The object of .this invention is 'to' provide a novel embossed'plate chute for an embossing machine embodying the invention disclosed and'broadly claimed in my pending-application filed March 422, 1948; under Serial No. 16,238 and entitled ".Automatic-fiBlate Inserter and Ejector for Embossing 'Machines, -now Patent No. 2,534,834,;patented December 19, 1950.

To the above end, the invention consists-of the novel devices and combination of .deviceshereinaifterdescribed and defined inthe claims.

.In the accompanying "drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters 'indicatedike parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is. a fragmentary Lfrontxelevation'zil view of :the carriage of "an embossing machine held by the improved lock in a plate-inserting andejecting position. and also showing the improved embossed plate chute andsthe novel carriage stop in an inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is 'a'view correspondingto Fig. 1, exceptthat the carriage is held stopped in a hand plate feed position by the novel carriage'stop and "with the .plate holder positioned holding a plate 'in :anupright position;

Fig.7 '-3 is 'a'fragmentary sectional view, on a greatly enlarged. scale, 'showing an'embossed plate. held :by the plate :holder in position to be ejected into a hopper .and directed thereby into the *novel chute;

Fig.4 is a'rear elevational view of the chute-and also showing, by means of broken "lines, ditferentpositions f an-embossed plate as the same is; precipitated "through the chute;

Fig. 5 isa'side elevational view-zof the-chute and a gagrgent oi'theattached tray looking at :the left .side of Fig.6 is a fragmentary view principally in section taken longitudinally 'throu'ghzth'e .chute and'trayion the irregular line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a top view of the .chuteasdhownin-Fig.6;

'Figs. 8 and '9 are sectional views taken respectively "on the lines 8-8 and-9-9:of Fig. 4'

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary-detail-view'in section "taken on the line 10.10 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan "view of the combined lock and stop and -a section of the track torwliichthey' are indirectly attached;

Fig. 12-is a'fragmentary :detail view principally in front elevation with the bearing post sectioned on the line 1212 of Fig. 11; and

"Fig. '13 is a fragmentary detail 'viewwithisome'parts sectioned on the "line 13-13 'of Fig. .12.

The numeral '14 indicates the carriage -.of aiconventiona'l embossing machine that embo'dies part of :my invention disclosed in the application heretofore: referred to. This carriage '14 is .provided'with wheels 'li'arrange'd to' run on a track 16 that-is an extension of the track of the embossing machine, not shown. The carriage 14 is moved from the embossing machine into its position shown 'in Fig. 1 of'the drawings-by 'a spring-17,-o'f the clock=spring type, wound on a drive 18 journaled on the track- 16. This .spring' 17 is attached bya coupling 19-to the carriage 14 and :is under strain at all times to draw -=said :carr'iage 14 into 'its plate-inserting :and eject- '9 ill:

showninFig: 1, 'it is yielding-1y *held-bythe -spring 1? against an adjustablestop 20*on a bearing block 21' fixed to-the'iaceof the track 16. The carriage':14is-=man uallyumoved to the embossing rr-iachine against the tem- 5 sion-of the spring 17.

ing'position. When t-he carriage 14 is in the position "A holder'22 for a rectangular plate a to -lse=embossed includes a" fixed lower; "jaw 23 :sand a cooperating upper jar-W 24. "The-lowerjaw .23 is pivoted o-n'a'cro'ck "shaft 25 journ'aled on a carrier '26 mounted on the carriage {'14 for movement transversely thereof. The upper jaw "24 is pivoted on-a rod 27 secured to the lower jaw23 'for opening-andclolsingmovements. A coiled spring 28-is under strain- -=to= open the-upper :jaw '24 and said-jaw is closed by cam surfaces 129 on the rock 'shaft"25. hand crank '30, on "the ro'ck shaft '25,-is provided zfor turning-"the same. '*A.-'coiled spring 30" normally holds the *hand crank 30 -'with :the rock--shaft 25-positioned to hold the ripper jaw-"24 closed. *A detachable -'handle-'31 on the carriage 14- is provided for manually holding the lower jaw "23 from lifting 'when'opera ting ithe hand-crank 30 to turn the rock .shatt'25 into'a position to' permit the upper ja-w 24"to 'be opened by' the spring 28--and release rhe'plate a -held thereby. Atthe limit ofthe movement or the-hand crank '-30-,to release the upper jaw 24," further movement of said crank will bring-a radial"arm32 on t-he hub thereof into-engagement with the crank pin- 33 'on a cra-nk arm 34 on the lower jaw 23 and-operate the same' to -tilt the-plateholdergfl into a positiom'when said plate holder -=isxmoved by the tearrier 26 transversely of the carriage, 'to'recei-ve a blank plate-11a. A coiled spring-"35 is-provided for retracting the carrier =On'the-opposite side of the track '1-6*from= the carriage 14 is a housing 36 on a bed plate 37 secured to .the track 16"by-brackets'38. Within the housing=36 is an'open bottom hopper' 39,. A magazine-40 for-holding a stack of horizontally-elongated rectangular blank plates to be embossed is :secured to the top of the housingj36pfrom which said -pl 'ates-are successively fed :onto

Ways 41' in saldahousing'into' a-pos'ition to be removed by the plate I holder-22 and conveyed by the carriage 14-to the embossing machine. Thepla'tes on the ways'*41 are designated by thejletter-a. -"Mechanism, -n0tishown,..formoving the plates a on the ways 41 is actuatedby. the earriage 14 as the same -is be'ing moved by the :spring17 toward itsplate-ejecting and inserting position, as-shown in Figs; -1 and3.

The carriage 14, when stopped as shown in Figs. Land SyPDSltlOHS ithe' plate holder 22 with an embossed plate b-,he'ld there'byby its'f-lower longitudinal ."edge portion horizontally overgthehopper. 39. When the plate holder 22 is operated 'to-release 'theiheld embossed plate I), 'said plate turns downwardly and drops onto the :convex inner front wall '42 of the hopper 39 andzas the-same'slides downwardly thereon, is turned into a vertical position with its top portion -down,"the indicia thereon inverted andtlge-back 'of'the plate b toward .the front of the hopper'-' It may' be here statedthabthe parts thus far briefly described are Tully-described in ;deta" in the application heretofore referred to.

Gne of the importantelements'df my present invention is to provide a novel-chute '43 inwhich an embossed plate b 'isrconveyed ifrom-the hopperJ39-to-ga tray. 441and turned, in the plane .thereof one hundred eighty degrees (l-80) from its initial -inverted position into 'an upright position. 'This;chute 43'isin'the form of a letter CtWhen viewing the'same from .the back. 'The'chute43 comprises a back or 'body member '45 that is channel-shape in. crosssection,. and a frontgor cover member 46 having an inturnedflange' 47'th'at loosely caps the side-members of'the body-member 45. .The left-hand side member of the body member 45 is designated by the numeral' '48randthe righthand side member by the numeral 49.

The upper-"end portion of the .bodytmember 45 is bent rearwardly to afford a flange- 50 that underlaps the bottom .of the bed plate 37 withthe upper endofthe chute 43 in registration with a passageway 1'51 inesa'id bed *p'late'that leads-from the hopper 39. Screws 52 .detaehably secure'the-ehute 43 to'the bed plate 37.

"The body meniber-fi extendsmater'ially below the lower end of the cover member 46 and its lower end portion is bent forwardly to afford a bottom member or closure 53 for the lower end of the chute 43. The body side members 48 and 49 each has, below the cover member 46, a forwardly projecting extension 54, the outer edge of which is flush with the front longitudinal edge of the bottom member 53. In the back of the body member 45, below the cover member 46, is a central rectangular aperture 55. This aperture 55 is formed by cutting the body member horizontally and then downwardly. The stock removed in forming the aperture is bent backwardly and downwardly into a horizontal position to provide a support 56 for the lower end portion of the chute 43. This support 56 rests on the horizontal portion of a brace bar 57 and is detachably secured thereto in a suitable manner. The brace bar 57 rearwardly of the support 56 is upwardly and rearwardly inclined and the upper portion thereof is broken away. In actual construction, the brace bar 57 is fixed to the housing 36 and bed plate 37. The sides of the support 56 are bent downwardly to afford flanges 59 that overlap the longitudinal edge portions of the brace bar 57 and hold said bar and the support 56 interlocked and aligned. That portion of the support 56 adjacent to the back member 45 is curved upwardly to afford a stop bead 60.

The cover member 46 is detachably secured to the back member 45 by an upper clip 61, a lower clip 62 and a friction clasp 63. The clips 6162 are in the form of tongues integral 'with the front cover flange 47, and extend transversely over the body side member 48 and onto the back of the body member 45. The clasp 63 is in the form of a wide tongue integral with the rear cover flange 47 and frictionally engages the body member 45 at the back thereof. The cover member 46 is further detachably secured to the body member 45 by notches 64, in the upper ends of the body side extensions 54, into which the lower edge portion of the cover member 46 extends.

In applying the cover member 46 to the body member 45, the same is held transversely oblique in front of the body member 45 and the clips 61-62 interlocked with the body member 45. The cover member 46 is next closed with a hinge-like movement and held closed by the clasp 63 which frictionally engages the body member 45 with a snap action. Finally, the cover member 46 is slid downwardly, relative to the body member 45, to enter said cover member in the notches 64. It will be noted that the longitudinal edges of the body side members 48-49 tightly engage the inner side of the cover member 46 to prevent a plate b, during its precipitation in the chute 43, from getting between said edges and cover member 46.

The tray 44 is in the form of a shallow channel, the side members of which are turned inwardly to afford flanges 65 which extend into notches c in the ends of the plates a-b when the plates b are moved out of the chute 43 and into the tray 44. The tray 44, at its inner end portion, is telescoped onto the body bottom member 53 and the side extensions 54. Notches 66 in the side extensions are provided to receive the side members of the tray 44. The tray 44 is attached to the brace bar 57.

Just before a plate b in the chute 43 reaches the bottom of said chute, it is intercepted and held on an escapement 67 that extends into the chute 43 through the aperture 55. Only a fragment of the escapement 67 is shown as it forms no part of the present invention and is fully shown in the application heretofore referred to. It is sufficient to state that the escapement is operated by mechanism actuated by the carriage 14 during its movement into a plate-ejecting and inserting position. As the escapement 67 is retracted, a plate b thereon drops onto the chute bottom member 53. When the escapement is projected, it pushes the dropped plate b into the tray 44 and is in a position to intercept the next following plate. A plate b on the escapement 67 extends below the upper portion of the plate b resting on the bottom member 53, thus preventing the two plates b from getting out of relative positions. It will be noted that the lower end portion of the chute 43 is somewhat narrower than the upper portion thereof to more closely confine a plate b passing therethrough.

Fig. 4 is a view looking at the chute 43 from the back and it may be assumed that the plate a shown in different positions therein, by means of broken lines, is on the inside of said chute. The shape of the body side members 48-49 is highly important to the successful turning of a plate b edgewise one hundred eighty degrees (180") in a vertical plane from its upper inverted position to its lower upright position. The distance between the body side members 48-4 at the upper and lower portions of the chute 43 is sufficient to receive a plate b with a good working clearance between its ends and the side members 43-49. The uppermost section 68 of the body side member 48 is vertical and the height thereof is slightly more than the height of the plate b. From the lower end of the section 68, a section 69 of the side member 48 is inwardly and downwardly inclined and is tangent to an intermediate section 70 that is substantially semicircular. Extending tangentially from the lower end of the curved section 79, a section 71 of said side member extends outwardly and downwardly. The lowermost section 72 of the side member 48 is vertical except for an intermediate outer bulge 73 and extends from the outer end of the section 71 to the chute bottom member 53. The height of the section 72 is a little more than twice the height of a plate b on the bottom member 53.

The uppermost section 74 of the body side member 49 is on a long fiat curve that extends outwardly and downwardly to substantially the vertical center of the chute 43. Leading from the lower end of the section 74 is a short section 75 that curves inwardly and downwardly. Extending tangentially from the lower end of the section 75 is a short straight section 76 that is downwardly and inwardly inclined. A short curved section 77, that is reverse relative to the section 75 extends from the section 76 to the lowermost vertical section 78 that extends tan-, gentially from the section 77. It will be noted that the chute 43, at its intermediate portion, is contracted between its side members 48-49 to an extent in which the plate b must move endwise between said side members.

As heretofore stated, a plate b, when held by the holder 22 is in a horizontal position and after it is released from said holder and drops into the hopper 39, it has'been turned into a vertical position by the time it reaches the bottom of said hopper 39 and in this position it passes through the passageway 51 in the bed plate 37. From the passageway 51, the plate b drops edgewise downwardly into the chute 43 until its lower right-hand corner, in respect to Fig. 4, engages the upper end portion of the side section 61, as shown by the uppermost plate b from Fig. 4. In this position of the plate b, it moves pivotally until its lower longitudinal edge rests on the straight section 69 and it slides downwardly thereon until its upper left-hand corner strikes the curved section 74. From thence. the plate b at its lower end, slides on the curved section 70 into an endwise vertical position and past a dead center until its upper corners engage the curved section 75 and the straight section '76. This changes the direction of movement of the plate b. The plate 1), during further movement, slides on the sections 7 6-77 to a substantially upright position. The bulge 73 affords clearance for the upper right-hand corner of the plate during its final movement just before it drops onto the escape merit 67. It will thus be seen that from the time the plate b enters the chute 43, it is turned from an inverted position into an upright position with the back side of the plate facing outwardly where the indicia thereon may be read when the plate b is moved into the tray 44.

What I claim is:

l. A vertical chute for turning a relatively lightweight printing plate in one direction about the central ver-- tical axis thereof from an inverted to an upright position while self-propelled through the chute, and having a width such that said plate is confined and retained in a vertical plane during the course of its travel through said chute to prevent turning thereof about its central horizontal axis, comprising, a vertical portion in the chute at the top thereof having vertical spaced apart sides defining an entrance throat into which the printing plate to be turned is adapted to freely drop while in an inverted position with its opposite end edges disposed in a vertical plane, a first downwardly inclined portion leading in one direction immediately from the bottom of said vertical portion so that the lower edge of a printing plate dropping down said vertical portion of the chute as aforesaid will strike the lower wall of said inclined portion and pivot on end partially through the said 189 of turning movement therefor while attaining increased momentum at the same time, an

intermediate downwardly curved portion in the chute for receiving the partially turned printing plate sliding down,

J said inclined portion, said downwardly curved portion of the chute being turned back upon said inclined portion to produce further turning movement and reverse the direction of travel of said printing plate sliding down through the chute, another downwardly inclined portion in the chute leading from the lower end of said downwardly curved portion in a direction opposite to that of the first-named inclined portion so as to receive the reversely-directed plate sliding downwardly from said curved portion, and another vertical portion at the lower end of the second-named inclined portion having spaced-apart vertical sides defining a discharge throat into which said printing plate is adapted to slide and drop vertically from the second-named inclined portion into the said upright position therefor.

2. A vertical chute for turning a flat and relatively light-weight rectangular article, self-propelled through the chute, 180 about the central vertical axis thereof from an inverted to an upright position therefor, and having a width such that said article is confined and retained in a vertical plane during the course of its travel through said chute to prevent turning thereof about its central horizontal axis, comprising, a vertical portion at the top of the chute having vertical spaced-apart sides defining an entrance opening into which said article to be turned is adapted to be dropped with its opposite end edges disposed in a vertical plane, a first downwardly inclined portion leading in one direction from said vertical portion and down which said article is adapted to slide from said vertical portion, said inclined portion leading immediately from the bottom of said vertical portion so that such an article dropping vertically therethrough will strike the lower wall of said inclined portion and partially pivot on end in the direction of turning movement partially through the said 180 while attaining increased momentum at the same time, a downwardly curved portion in the chute at the bottom of said inclined portion, said curved portion being curved back upon said inclined portion so as to cause further turning of said article and reverse the direction of travel thereof through the chute, another downwardly inclined portion in the chute leading from the lower end of said curved portion in a direction opposite to that of the first-named inclined portion so as to receive the article from said downwardly curved portion, and another vertical portion at the lower end of the second-named inclined portion having spaced apart vertical sides into which said printing plate is adapted to slide and drop vertically from the second-named inclined portion into the said upright position therefor.

3. A vertical chute for turning a Hat and relatively light-weight rectangular article, self-propelled by gravity through the chute, about the central vertical axis thereof from an inverted to an upright position, and having a width such that said article is confined and retained in a vertical plane during the course of its travel through said chute to prevent turning thereof about its central horizontal axis, comprising, a vertical portion at the top of the chute having vertical spaced-apart sides between which the said article to be turned drop by gravity with its opposite end edges disposed in a vertical plane clear of said sides, a first downwardly inclined chute portion inclined downwardly in one direction and down which said article is adapted to slide in an inclined position from said vertical portion, said inclined portion leading immediately from the bottom of said vertical portion so that said article when dropping through said vertical portion will strike the lower wall of said inclined portion and partially pivot on end to turn partially through the said 180 of turning movement therefor, a downwardly curved portion in the chute communicating with the lower end of said inclined portion, said down- Wardly curved portion being curved back upon said inclined portion to produce further turning of said article through the said 180 therefor, another downwardly inclined/portion in the chute leading from the lower end of said downwardly curved portion so as to receive said article from said downwardly curved portion of the chute and cause the same to slide further down the chute in a direction opposite to that of the first-named inclined portion, and another vertical portion at the lower end of the second-named inclined portion having spaced-apart vertical sides into which said printing plate is adapted to slide from the second-named inclined portion and drop vertically into said upright position therefor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 626,104 Shimer May 30, 1899 845,415 Hicks Feb. 26, 1907 1,300,216 Howell Apr. 8, 1919 1,446,591 Small Feb. 27, 1923 2,463,690 Gruver Mar. 8, 1949 2,498,038 Gruver Feb. 21, 1950 2,526,309 Welch Oct. 17, 1950 is adapted to freely. 

